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BOARD OF ECONOMIC WARFARE 
Enemy Branch 




FRENCH, CH EMICAL INDIE TRY 



May 22, 1943 


32-2568 













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Sumnary Conelusions 


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France had a large, diversified, and well dispersed 
chemical industry before the German occupation but, generally 
speaking, it may be assumed that production has been limited 
by the Germans to those war materials for which sufficient 
capacity has not been available in less exposed parts of 
German Europe. 


Plants using hydroelectric power and domestic raw 
materials to produce vital war materials almost certainly 
have maintained operations. In this category are those pro¬ 
ducing calcium carbide and cyanamide, chlorine, electrolytic 
caustic soda, and phosphorus. 

Exploitation of plants depending on coking coal (produc¬ 
ing benzol, toluol dye and explosives intermediates, chemical 
nitrogen, synthetic methanol, and ethyl alcohol) is limited 
by allocations of coke by the Germans; plants dependent on coal 
for boilers (producing soda ash, sodium sulfate, and hydro¬ 
chloric acid), by German allocation of coal. 

Production of materials based largely on imports 
(sulfuric acid and superphosphates) or processing of edible 
materials for non-food purposes (alcohol, glycerol, soap, 
casein plastics) undoubtedly is seriously limited. 

German policy in respect to use of some French chemical 
plants has changed in the past year. In explosives manufacture 
particularly, there have been indications of growing German 
interest in French plants, /ith the result that in some 
cases machinery previously removed to the East has been returned 
so that French operations could be resumed. 

No matter how the plants arc utilized, the large body 
of trained French chemical workers and the scientific- 
technical personnel represent a valuable asset to Axis chemical 
production, and it is presumed they are being used. 


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Tab] : o of _ Coil tent s 


(Cant.) 


APPENDICES 


A, Larger Sulfuric Acid Plants in France 

B. Superphosphate Plants in France 

C* Hydrochloric Acid Plants in France 
D® Sodium' Sulfate " " n 

E, Chemical Nitrogen n M n 

F, Soda Ash Plants in France 

G # Electrochemical Plants n u - ! « 

H. Food Distillation Plants in France 

I. 1. Large Tar Distilleries in France ‘ * 

2. Synthetic Phenol Plants " 11 

J. Dye Forks in France 

K. Plastic Plants in France 

L. French Plants Making Photographic Materials 

M. Paint Plants in France 


39 

. 40,41 

42 

43 
44,45 

46 

47,49 

50 

51 
51 

52,53 

54 

55 

56 



*1 


\ 



; 


I. DEVELOPMENT OF THE FRENCH GHEIIIG/EL INDUSTRY AND ITS 

IMPORTANCE TO THE AXIS WAR ECONOMY 

• \ ‘ - .... .. * . * 


Before the fIfsV World rT ar, the French chemical • 

industry produced jaainly such items as mineral acids and 
alkalis in-amounts usually sufficient to Satisfy the needs 
of the country. The. industry as a whole v;as dependent on 
other countries for such raw 7 materials as pyrites, phosphates, 
and Chile nitrates« There t/as no synthetic chemical in¬ 
dustry T^ut there was a promising young electrochemical 
industry, * . 

During World War I, the French realized the importance 
of the chemical industry for national defense, and the 
industry-made astonishing progress during the war years, and 
continued to gro" thereafter c The development of the synthetic 
inorganic and organic Industry was given particular impetus. 

Progress during the years 1914-1940 can be seen from 
the following comparisons. 

» : . 

In 1914 the nitrogen industry was completely dependent 
on Chile nitrates; by 1939 France was self-sufficient in fixed 
nitrogen. . 

In 1914 the' dye Indus try was insignificant and foreign- 
owned; by 1940 France was not only self-sufficient-with 
regard to dyes but was a large exporter,. 

In 1914 the coke : industry was in a. backward position, 
the daily output of coke per oven and. the recovery of by-products 
being small and limited to the production of coke, ammonium 
sulfate, benzol, and tar; by. 1940 the coke Industry, 
particularly in the north, was splendidly equipped and was 
the center of many new industries. 

In 1914 the capacity for producing concentrated grades 
of sulfuric acid was loss than 50,000 tons per annum; by 
1940 it -as 1,500,000 toils. 

.In addition, Franco had by 1940 a very large electro¬ 
chemical industry and was one of the largest producers of 
explosives in the world-, Many of the electrochemical works 
were also electrometallurgical plants. (A partial list of 
electrochemical plants is given in Appendix G.) 



2- 


When Germany invaded France, it was to be expected 
that the Germans would make full use of the French dhemical 
plants* However,-the exploitation was limited to certain # • 
branches — the electrochemical industry, the dye plants, 
and part of the coke and coke by-products industries* Only 
certain sulfuric acid plants were operated, and those not 
at full capacity* Until the.end of 1941 the enemy apparently 
had shown no interest in the French explosives industry* 

The general German policy with regard to the chemical 
and explosives plants was .to remove the machinery wherever 
possible, to install it in plants in Germany and Poland, and 
to move the French workers there. 

In 1942, however, this policy began to change. In some 
instances, machinery was -returned and operations .resumed in 
the French plants, German interest'in the French explosives 
and powder industry particularly has seemed to increase from 
day to day and resumed operations in this field mean resump¬ 
tion of operations in other chemical plants which produce 
products necessary for the manufacture of explosives and other 
war materials, 

T' • % * . . • . L, ' • - 

( '• • ' , ‘ . .. ^ 

The following considerations may explain this situation, 

TPhen the. main front .was in. the East, the. Germans-, by 
transplanting the French explosives and powder plants to 
the East, saved fuel and transport space, reduced risks of 
sabotage, made air attacks from.English bases more-difficult, 
and incidentally.attained an old Nazi..aim,, the ruin of .the.- 
French chemical industry for the benefit of Germany, But 
when action started in North Africa, the French munitions 
plants were much closer to that front than many of the German 
explosives and powder plants. This, and the threat of a 
United Nations invasion of western Europe, may be at least 
partially responsible for the return to French, plants e 

The French electrochemical and coking plants, on the 
other hand, could not possibly be transplanted as the former 
arc based on locally available electric energy and the 
latter on locally available coal. The electrochemical 
industry, one of the largest in the world, is concentrated, in 
the south of France near the Italian border. Because the 
corresponding Italian industry-across the Alps has been under 
repeated aerial attack, it can be expected that exploitation 
of the French electrochemical industry will go to capacity 
limits. Recent reports indicate that'the.industry is. working 
at full capacity and'th&t some companies arc even planning 
to enlarge and build new works. 


I 






-3- 


Frenc h Pr oduction Compared wi th German 

Statistics of the chemical industry of France, which 
had a pre-war population about 65 percent that of?Germany 
proper, arc as follows. The industry employed'40 percent 
as many workers as the German industry and the value of 
its output ''as 40 percent of Germany’s, Exports were 40 
percent of the German figure, and imports 75 percents.. Pro¬ 
duction of coke and coke by-products, the basis of many 
chemical industries, averaged 25 to 30 percent of Germany 1 s, 
and calcium carbide production reached only 15 percent of 
the high figure which Gorman output attained in pre-war 
years 

However, French production of some important materials 
9 qualed or exceeded that of Germany, Alcohol production in 
pre-war years was 30 percent greater. Production of sulfuric 
acid (chiefly because of its large use for making super¬ 
phosphates) -was nearly as large, and soda ash production 
was SO percent of German output. 








-4- 


II. PRINCIPAL PRODUCTS OF THE FRENCH CHEMICAL INDUSTRY 


1, S ulfuric A cid 

Sulfuric acid is a basic chemical for the manufacture 
of explosives, synthetic fibers, for iron and steel .pickling, 
the refining of liquid fuels, and other.vital war industries. 

In peacetime, two-thirds of the annual French production 
of 1,500,000 to 1,800,000’metric tons mas used by the. 
phosphate fertilizer industry. The total capacity of French 
plants is estimated to be 2,500,000 to 2,000,000 tons. Of 
this 'amount, the capacity for 100 percent acid is 1,250,000 
tons per year, 85 percent of this capacity being in private, 
and 15 percent in government plants. Tile capacity for -oleum 
(more.concentrated grades) is 250,000 tons, 40 percent of 
which is in government-owned plants, making a total of 
1,500,000 tons of capacity for contact acid on the basis of 
100 percent acid,'- , - ; «. 

Production,of sulfuric acid, however, fell to 425,000 
metric tons in 1942 and is estimated to be only 300,000 tons 
in 1943, due to decreases both, in pyrites imports 1/ and in 
demand. Stocks on hand at tho beginning of 1942 -rcrc 60,000 
tons. Primary use apparently has been shifted from fertilizers 
to explosives, iron and steel pickling, and other materials 
currently more valuable to the Axis, 

Before the first World, the production of the concentrated 
grades of sulfuric acid was less than five percent of the total 
production. Great impetus was given to the building of con¬ 
tact plants between 1914 and 1918 by the urgent need for 
concentrated grades, and contact plants now account for 55 to 
60 percent of total capacity. The remainding capacity is 
in chamber plants which produce a loss concentrated acid. 

To avoid dependence on imported pyrites, the French 
Government plants and other producers have sought native raw 
materials other than pyrites. Considerable experimental work 
has been done on gypsum, as France has gypsum deposits capable 
of furnishing 2,000,000 tons per annum, A number of units 
were adapted for the use of this material but their capacity 
is still limited. 

The sulfuric acid industry is concentrated in the sea¬ 
board regions and on navigable rivers because water shipment 
is used for the raw materials for both sulfuric acid and 
superphosphates, Several sulfuric acid plants arc located in 
the Rhone region near the Saint-Bel pyrite mines $ other plants 

1/ Pyrites imported from Spain accounted for nearly 800,000 
tons of sulfuric in 1937 but only 200,000 tons in 1942, 



-5- 


are scattered throughout France, (The locations and 
capacities of the larger plants are shorn in Appendix A.) 

No one plant accounts for more thap 6,7 percent of the total 
capacity for contact acid. Since acid production has been 
seriously curtailed lately, production figures for any one 
plant cannot be given. It is likely, however, that the most 
active plants at present are those connected with powder 
works, or furnishing-acid for other undertakings of a military 
nature, 

• * • > 

2* Super phos phates 

The production of superphosphates for fertilisers in. 
France in peacetime required annually 1,400,000 tons of 
phosphate rock, largely imported from North Africa, and 
1,000,000 - 1,250,000 tons of sulfuric acid. Because of this, 
the sulfuric acid plants and superphosfihate plants arc usually 
combined in one working unit. 

From 1924 to 1929, France was the world 1 s largest pro¬ 
ducer of superphosphates, with an annual output of approximately 
2,500,000 tons. By 1937, production had declinod by nearly 
one-half, due to the prevailing agricultural depression, and 
has since declined much more. The St, Gobain Company, largest 
phosphate producer in France, had to suspend production at 
the end of March 1941* As some phosphates were probably still 
available from North Africa at that time, the suspension pro¬ 
bably resulted from the decreased production of sulfuric acid 
and the shift of acid from peacetime to war uses under German 
domination. 

Production of superphosphates in pre-war years T as: 



Hetrie tons 

1929 

2,440,000 

1930 

1,970,000 

1934 

1,324,190 

1935 

1,203,140 

1936 

1,368,517 

1937 

1,365,160 


(Appendix B gives the locations and capacities of superphosphate 
plants, and shows that the industry is dominated by the same 
few large companies which control sulfuric acid manufacture,) 





-6- 


j 


3 • Hydr ochlo ri c A cid. 

Hydrochloric acid is a ]?asic chemical which, is used . 
in the'metallurgical, textile, dye, food, plastics, and 
other chemical industries* It is obtained commercially either 
by treating sodium chloride with sulfuric acid or by causing 
chlorine to react with hydrogen, ■. . 

The pre-war average yearly production of hydrochloric 
acid in France was 100,000 tons, which was sufficient for 
all French consumption. In 1941? production declined to 
about 75,000 tons due to the cut in allocations of sulfuric 
acid and, for the same reason, 1042 production is estimated 
at 57,000 tons. Of this amount, 12,000 tons would be produced 
from chlorine and hydrogen, 

TABLE 1 

■ ’ ' 

Hydrochloric Acid: Requirements for 1941 and Allocations, 
for 1942 for Different Industries 


(metric tons). 



* ■ . 

Requirements r Allocations 


Industry 

1941 . 1942 


» 4 

Food industry 10,000 .9,600 


Textile industry 

1,500 

1,050 

Metallurgical industry 

16,000 

16,000 

Construction industry 

1,300 

500 

Chemical industries 

30,000 

24,050 

Open market 

9,000 

a> ra rs 

V ” 

Mis c e1lane ous industries 

5,000 

3,660 

Scaling of boilers 

1,500 

1,340 

Reserve 

** •**■■" ** 

300 

Total 

75,100 

57,000 


(A list of hydrochloric acid plants is given in Appendix C) 


4. Sodium Su lfa te 

No natural sodium sulfate occurs in France, It is 

* 

produced there chiefly by treating sodium chloride with 
sulfuric acid, by treating sodium chloride with"shlfur 
dioxide and air (Hargreaves process), br as a by-product of 
hydrochloric acid or nitric acid manufacture. 
















Sodium sulfate is used in the glass and wood pulp 
industries, in the purification of oils and fats, in freezing 
mixtures, in medicines, in textile dyeing, in the manufacture 
of so.dium sulfidej and in numerous other minor products. 

The chief original consumer, the glass industry, has shown 
.. a. tendency, however, to replace sodium sulfabe with soda ash, 

French production of sodium sulfate was 135,0'00 tons 
in 1919, dropped to 99,000 in 1932, but rose to 111,000 in 
1933? to 118,000 in 1934? and rose still higher in 1935, 
Production in 1942 is estimated at 62,000 tons. Consumption 
in normal years was approximately 100,000 tons, the surplus 
being exported to Belgium, Germany, Italy, Swden, and Finland. 

(French sodium sulfate plants are listed in Appendix D.) 

5• Chemical Nitrogen 

The French chemical nitrogen industry arose out of the 
first For Id T 'hr. Before 1914? France was almost entirely 
dependent on the natural niter beds of Chile for her supply 
of nitrogenous chemicals. In 1918, German interference with 
shipping led to a perilous situation as the imported .nitrate 
was the raw material for nitric acid, a key chemical in the 
manufacture of explosives. The French Government bu5.lt 
chemical nitrogen plants, and at the time of the Armistice, 
France was well on the way to self-sufficiency in fixed 
nitrogen. Since that time the industry has developed continu¬ 
ously and self-sufficiency has been attained not only in time 
of peace but also in time of war. 

The two basic methods-now used for the "fixation" of 
atmospheric nitrogen are (1) direct production of ammonia 
from atmospheric nitrogen and hydrogen gas in presence of a 
catalyst, and (2) production of cyanamide from calcium carbide 
and atmospheric nitrogen. The first method accounts for the 
greater part of chemical nitrogen product-ion and is cheaper 
than the second method. 

Synthetic ammonia is the raw material for the production 
of "synthetic-’ nitric acid, used in the making of explosives, 
nitrate fertilizers, and many organic compounds. Ammonia 
also enters into the manufacture of ammonium sulfate, urea, 
and other fertilisers, as well as hexamethylentetramine and 
cyanides, and. is necessary in the Solvay soda process. There 
ore also, numerous quantitatively minor uses, such as refrigera¬ 
tion.., ... * • ' 



Direct Ammoni a Pro cess . In 1938,- the officially reported 
capacity of French plants for the production of synthetic 
ammonia by direct processes was 212,800 metric tons in terms 
of pure nitrogen* Production in 1937 was 74?000 tons of 
fixed nitrogen* The processes employed in France are those 
of Claude, Casale, National Engineering Corporation, and'Mont- 
Qenis• 


TABLE 2 


'Pure Nitrogen; Annual Productive Capacity by Process 

(Metric tons) 


Method of 
synthesis 

Number 
of plants 

Productive capacity 

Percentage 

Casale 

10 

.89,995 

42.3 

Claude 

7 

83,055 

39.0 

N.E.C, 

2 

23,750 -.s 

11.2 

Mont-Genis 

1 

. 16,000 

7.5 

Total 

20-y 

212,800 

100.0 


V y 

.... t 



In wartime, the demand for nitric acid is, of- course, 
much greater than in peacetime, and the large ammonia 
synthesis plants, therefore, have flexible equipment to enable 
the ammonia to be converted into nitric acid, ammonium 
sulfate, ammonium nitrate, urea, or other products as occasion 
demands* The plants listed in Appendix E may thus be considered 
as potential sources of nitrogen for any desired product of 
the chemical nitrogen industry. 

Nitric Acid . Ninety-five percent of the nitric acid 
manufactured in France is made by oxidizing- synthetic' ammonia 
in the presence of an activated platinum or platinum-rhodium 
catalyst heated to 750°C* A few small plants use by-product 
ammonia from coke ovens or treat Chilean nitrate r ith sulfuric 
acid. Many nitric acid plants arc attached to or are near 
powder plants or dye works g, i ?: 

Production of nitric acid in 1941 was estimated to be 
100,000 metric tons of 65 percent acid as compared with 70,000 
tons in jL934 and 29,000 tons in 1929. Capacity is far in 
excess of production and is estimated to be 500,000 - 700,000 
metric tons of 65 percent nitric acid, corresponding to 70,000 - 
100,000 tons in terms of pure nitrogen. 















•*# »• 


-Q- 

✓ 

' ' * . *j ' • 

A mmonium* Sulfate 0 Ammonium sulfate .is the, most 
extensively used, nitrogenous fertilizer in France. During 
peacetimelarge quantities ' : ere produced by the arrynonia 
synthesis plants. Most of the plants use sulfuric acid as 
the source of the sulfate radical but a feu use the cheaper 
gypsum-, Ammonia from by-product coke ovens also accounts 
for a large production of ammonium sulfate. 

' ' *' « *« /; ? * * 

Total French prdduction of ammonium sulfate in' 1936-was 
333,000 metric tons. Present-day capacity of the plants 
is thought to -be much above this figure, probably 475,000 - 
50Q,000 metric tons Ox this total, coke ovens account for 
150,000.- 160,000 metric tons, gas ovens 50,000, shale-oil 
plants 5,000, and synthetic ammonia plants 275,000 - 300,000. 
The normal annual consumption of ammonium sulfate in France 
uas about 425,000 - 450,000 metric tons (85,000 - 90,000 tons 
in terms of pure nitrogen)„. 

Calcium Cyanamid e, Calcium cyanamide is widely used as 
a nitrogenous fertilizer. In addition, it represents a reserve 
source of ammonia, which can be produced by steaming the 
cyanamide. 'Since this method of producing ammonia is more 
costly than direct synthesis from nitrogen and hydrogen, it 
would be used only if ammonia supplies mere otherwise- 
inadequate, i 

During the--first iorld Uar, cyanamide became important 
as a ^source of ammonia in France c ilany plants were erected 
by the Government as well as by private companies. Because 
the synthetic ammonia industry was built mostly in that part 
of France which was likely to be invaded in event of war, 
tb£ Government encouraged expansion of the calcium cyanamide 
industry in the south of France, where available waterpower 
resources could be utilized. 

In 1939, calcium cyanamide capacity ^-as approximately 
300,000 metric tons. Production in the last pre-war years 
■'-ns much below capacity because of the greatly diminished use 
of fertilizers during the agricultural depression. 

t •'* ’ ? 

The process involves trio stages 

' a) the preparation of calcium carbide from lime and 
coke in an electric furnace. • (This stage acoounta for 60-70 
percent of the cost of the whole cyanamide process.) 

(2) the preparation of'-calcium cyanamide by heating the 
carbide^ in a stream of pure nitrogen. 




4 





-10- 


The raw materials used in the manufacture of carbide 
must be rendered as free as possible from' phosphorus., sulfur, 
and magnesia* Nitrogen for the cyanamide' process is obtained 
by liquefaction of air,. < (For further information see BEU 
Report No. .E0-3.) 

■ • N . • i.t > * . ...«.. «.« . . • 

Since 3,300 kwh are required for production of one ton 
of carbide, economical production of cyanamide is dependent on 
cheap electric power. Location of the plants is therefore 
determined by the availability of electric energy and, as 
nine-tenths of the waterpower resources v of France,are situated 
to the south of a line from Bordeaux to Belfort, it is natural 
that this became the predominant center of the calcium car¬ 
bide industry with 90 percent of the total capacity,. 2/ 

• T 

6. Soda Ash 

Before the present war, Frapce occupied fourth place 
among rrorld producers of soda ash, with an annual output of 
710,000 metric tons and a plant capacity.of 864,000 tons. 
Production in 1942 is estimated to % have fallen,-however, to 
250,000 tons. Plants owned by the Solvay.. Company account for 
74 percent of the total capacity. In the Solvay process, 
salt and limestone are the direct raw materials, 

Prewar French consumption was much below production 
figures. Exports were mainly to Belgium, Holland, Bulgaria, 
Turkey, Algeria, Indochina, and Tunis, all of which, with 
the exception of Belgium, have no domestic soda production. 

The industry is mostly concentrated in the department 
of Meurtheet-Moselle where rock aalt and limestone mines 
are abundant. Two plants are in the Department of Bouches-du* 
Rhone, near abundant salt marshes. (A list of the plants is 
found in Appendix F,) 

7. Borax 

Borax is used in the manufacture of soap.and glass and 
as a flux in soldering. Although France has adequate facilities 
for the refining of borax at Condekerque - Branche near 
Dunkerque, production must now be practically nil due to the 
cessation of imports of borax minerals from the United States. 

.8. Caustic Soda 2/ - : 

Caustic soda (sodium hydroxide) is used in the making of 
viscose fibers, woodpulp, soaps, and for reclaiming rubber, 

2/ Locations of the cyanamide plants are given in BE 17 Report 
No. E0-3. 

2/ The leading electrochemical products are discussed in the 
sections immediately following. 







-11 


refining petroleum products, fats and oils, and for many 
other purposed in various industries * 

The two chief processes for manufacturing- caustic 
soda in France are the causticization of soda ash by lime 
and the electrolysis of sodium chloride. 

The French pre-war caustic soda capacity was approximately 
300,000 metric tons, with production only about one half of 
capacity, 'Of the caustic soda produced, approximately 45 
percent was made by the electrolytic process and 55 percent 
by causticization. 

The larger plants producing caustic soda 'by causticiza¬ 
tion -^ere attached to the soda ash plants or to the viscose 

and soap plants. (See Appendix G), 

* 

9. Chlorine and Chlorine Derivatives 

Chlorine is a raw material for the production of 
phosgene, mustard chloracetophenone, and other gases, and is 
also used in the preparation of synthetic phenol, in the 
vulcanization of rubber (as sulphur chloride), in the dye 
industry, as a bleaching agent, in water treatment, and in 
the making of paper;, bleaching powder, and synthetic 
hydrochloric acid c 

French plant capacit;/ for the production of chlorine by 
electrolysis of salt solution and magnesium chloride is about 
75*000 tons per year. The pre-war yearly average production 
was 25,000.tons, and was sufficient for not only all the 
peacetime requirements of France, belt also for exports to 
Belgium and Italy. French exports of chlorine in 1933 ” 7 erc 
"1215 metric tons o The great difference between capacity and 
production figures indicates that the peacetime consumption 
was very little developed. (See Appendix G for the 
electrolytic chlorine planes .in- France,.); 

, Chlorates o Chlorates are used in the explosives . 
industry. The cheddite no' ders which were used-b'" the French 
in the first and second T7 orld War contained sodium and 
potassium chlorates. Capacity for production of sodium and 
potassium chlorates is 72,000 tons a year, but prewar produc¬ 
tion was much below this figure. . . ' ' 

Sodium Hypoch l orite (Labarraqpo*s an d Javel Solution) . 

A solution of sodium hypochlorite is made by the double decom¬ 
position of bleaching powder- and s-oddum carbonate, by the:' 
action of chlorine on a sodium carbonate ^solution, or by the 
electrolysis of sodium chloride solutions. 








*-12 


• The solution is used as a bleaching agent and disin¬ 
fectant, for water sterilization, and in the manufacture 
of chloramine. French prewar production was 12,000 tons a 
year, which supplied domestic requirements and left a surplus 
of approximately 3000 metric tons for export. 

Calcium h ypochlorite (ble a c hing powder ), This bleaching 
agent (paper, cotton, laundry), disinfectant, and decontaminat¬ 
ing agent is also used'in the manufacture of chloroform and 
of other hypochlorites. It is made by passing gaseous chlorine 
over hydrated lime. Prewar annual production was approximately 
50,000 tons, about two-thirds of /hich was used in France, 
the remainder being exported chiefly to Belgium, Spain, and 
Italy* 


10. Calcium Carbide 

In addition to its use as a source of acetylene gas 
for welding, lighting, and heating, calcium carbide is the 
raw material for the production of calcium cyanamide, acetone, 
acetic acid, and ethyl alcohol. It is also.used in the 
manufacture of butadiene and synthetic rubber. Butylene is 
at present used in France as a fuel for automobiles. 

Capacity is nearly 500,000 tons a year 5 production in 
1941 was only approximately 150,000 tons. In spite of the 
present groat demand, allocation of electric energy has limited 
the production for calcium carbide to 150,.000 tons a year, 
preference being given to the manufacture of calcium carbide 
intended for cyanamide and other chemical compounds derived 
from acetylene, 4 / 

II• Pho sphorus; Yellow and Red 

Yellow phosphorus, whifch is made in electric ovens, is an 
important war product. It is widely used as an incendiary, 
and in the making of phosphoric acid and various phosphates. 

Red phosphorus is used in the making of matches and as the 
puff charge in shells. 

The Coignet Cie, at Epicrre (Savoy) produces SO percent 
of French phosphorus. Its capacity is 2,500 metric tons a 
year, but. the annual pre-war production was 500 tons*. Some 
phosphorus'was available for.export. 

t 

12. Alcohol 

Et Ujf 1 alcohol is .used m a number of chemical industries 
and is commonly made by the fermentation of carbohydrates, 
followed by distillation. 

u ' • 

^/Further information on the carbide industry in France is given 
in BEW Report No. E0-3. Calcium cyanamide, ’/hich is derived 
from calcium carbide, was discussed under chemical nitrogen. 









-13- 


Alcohol is extensively used ns a motor fuel and, in 
the explosives industry, as a gelatinizer of nitrocellulose 
powders • The maximum amount of alcohol used in the French 
explosives industry during For Id Ylo.r I -ais 200,000 metric 
tons a year. 


The follo'~ing table shows the mench production of 
alcohol in recent yearsi 


Year 


Metric Tens 


1933 

1934 

1935 

1936 
1939 
1941 


337,040 

376,560 

466,160 

336,430 

192,000 

156,000 


The amount of alcohol denatured for non-beverage uses 
in 19*35 was 338,600 metric tons compared 'ith 331,800 in 1936, 

Most of the industrial alcohol produced in France is 
obtained by fermenting beets and molasses, 5/ Grapes, pears, 
apples, and other fruits are also used. In 1940 the French 
Government undertook the construction of a plant for the 
production of fuel* alcohol from hydrolyzed mood, There are 
several units for producing synthetic ethyl alcohol but their 
capacity is still small 3 


TABLE 3 


Production of ilcohol from Various Ram Materials, 

1935 - 1936 

(Metric tons) 


Ram Material 

1935 

1936 

Molasses 

S^igar beets 

Grapes hnd grape residues 

Apples and pears ' • :i ~i- - 

Other ra** 7 materials 

87,070 

229,077 

121,-Ml 
' 22*334-r 

5,-679 

47,990 
195,664 
86,503 
•-52,160 
.4,113 

Total ’ 

466,151 

326,435 


9 



j>/ Considerable quantities of French wines have been used by 


the Germans for distillation to make industrial alcohol* 






















Synt hetic Methanol, Synthetic methanol, made by 
combining carbon monoxide and hydrogen gases in the presence 
of a catalyst in the same equipment as that used for ammonia 
synthesis, can be produced for only five percent of the cost 
of making it by distillation of wood,. 

It is used in the manufacture of important military 
explosives, such as penthrite, and explosives derived from 
hexamethylentetr amine,. It is a raw material for the 
formaldehyde used in the plastics industry and is also being 
used as a motor fuel, since methanol, blended with one-third 
its volume of gasoline, is of great anti-knock value. 

Host of the plants originally built for methanol synthesis 
are using water gas as their raw material, but the 0ourrieres- 
Kuhlmann group uses a mixture of carbon monoxide and hydrogen 
made by cracking methane at high temperature. 

. ' TABLE 4 


Capacity of Companies Producing Methanol 

(Hetrie tons) 


Name of Company 

Location Annual Capacity 

C ourrieres-Kuhlmann 

Harnes (P.-de-C.) 

3,600 

Mines de Courrieres 

Courrieres (P.-de-C.) 

, 2,400 

Mines de Bethune 

Bully-les.-Gray (P.-de-C.) 

3,000 

K. G. D. 

Vendin-le-Veill (P.-de-C.) 

3,600 



127600 


Production of methanol probably has considerably increased 
lately and part of the synthetic ammonia capacity is presumably 
now being used for that purpose. 

13« Acet ic Acid and Ho od Disti ll ation 

Acetic held is important, in the production of collulcso 
acotate esters for photographic films, plastics., lacquers and 
pcetate rayon. Total French pre-war production was approximately 
2.5,000 metric tons a year, divided almost equally between wood 
distillation ‘and synthetic acid plants and was. sufficient to 
meet domestic peacetime needs • Capacity of both industries, and 
particularly of the synthetic process, is much greater than 
actual production, since it w®s developed to meet potential 
‘wartime demands. 














-15- 


France has three large synthetic acid plants, using 
acetylene derived from calcium carbide as their ram materials 
The largest (exact capacity unknown) is located at Viller- 
St. Paul and is owned jointly by Ets* Kuhlmann and Bozel- 
Maletra, The plant at Nanterre (near Paris) has a capacity 
of 10,000 tons per year and is owned by Fabrique de Produits 
Chimiques de Thann & de Mulhouse• the plant at St. Fons is 
owned by Rhone-Poulenc. 

In addition to their yield of 12,000 tons of acetic 
acid, French ' : ood distillation plants in pre-war years produced 
70,000 metric tons of charcoal,.8,000 tons of methanol, and 
3,500 tons of acetone. Development of the wood distillation 
industry has been hampered in recent years by the growth of 
the synthetic acetic acid and synthetic methanol industries 
and by a decrease in the demand for charcoal. 

The domestic forest area of approximately 11,000,000 
hectares supplies wood to the French wood distillation plants, 
-hich are scattered in several departments, though the chief 
plants are concentrated in Nievre and near Rouen. (See 
Appendix K.) 

t \ . 

14o S oap and Glycerol 

Besides the obvious importance of soap as a product of 
the processing of fats and oils, the b} 7 -product glycerol finds 
an important war use as a raw material for nitroglycerin and 
dynamite. - It is used also in glyptal resins, in pharmaceutical 
preparations, as an antifreeze, and for various other purposes. 

Although .France produced the alkalies, needed v for scap 
manufacture, most of the fats and oils were imported. In 1928, 
the peak production year, France imported 568,000 tons of oils 
in the form of oils and oil seeds. 

Annual production of soap in normal pre-war years was about 
400,000 ttons, and consumption- ’.ns 225,000 to 325,000 tons. 

The surplus was exported chiefly to Latin-American countries. 

Marseille, in Douches-du-Rhone, is the principal center 
of the soap and glycerol industry. The 50 plants located 
there have a total capacity of 250,000 tons of soap a year,. 
Provence, which includes the Departments of Bouches-du-Rhbne ? 

Var, and Vaucluse produced in peaoetime a yearly average of 
200,000 tons of soap, or approximately 50 percent of the total 
French soap production. Next in importance were the Departments 
of Nord, Pas-de-Calais, and Somme in the north of France, ~dth 
80 plants having an annual production of approximately 150,000 - 



-16- 


f 


200,000 tons, largely soft soap> with a potash base. The 
Paris area has 30 plants. Remaining production is scattered.. 


Pre-war production of glycerol T - ? as over 12,0QQ metric 
tons a year. Domestic peacetime ..consumption was. much bolov;. 
production, and France was the world*s leading exporter of 
crude glycerolc 

Since the outbreak of nrr, the soap industry ha& under¬ 
gone serious difficulties because the supply of fats and oils 
does not suffice even for food needs, and allocations to soap 
makers arc very small c As a partial but inadequate solution, 
French manufacturers have resorted to oils derived from grape, 
apple, rape, sunflower, and other seeds. It was estimated 
that France and Algeria could supply ten. million kilos of grape 
seed oil, half of..which would be refined for edible oils and 
half turned into soap. 


Due to this raw.material shortage, present.glycerol and 
soap production cannot be estimated, but it is known that 
supplies arc very short, and that such soaps as are available 
have a much reduced actual soap, content, and are made principally 
'of fillers with negligible washing and laundry value. 


u 


ProY/ar ‘per capita consumption of soap in France was 9,6 


kilos annually. The soap ration in November 1941 allowed 1*8 
kilos per year and -as reduced in April, 1942 to 1,2 kilos. 

No later figure is available - but the German ration "as cut 


in November 1942 to 0 e b'4 ui..os per. person per year and the 
French allowance must be at least as low. Production of soap 
is now doubtless concentrated in those plants which have 
glycerol recovery facilities„ Because no information is 
available as to which soap plants are in operation, no list 
of plants is here included. 


15, Coke and Cok e By-prod u cts 6/ 

Coke is required for iron and -steel production, and 
the coke byproducts, such as benzol, toluol, xylol, and the 
coal.tar distillation products, arc vital for the manufacture 
of explosives and chemical warfare agents. In addition,.benzol 
is of the greatest value as a high grade motor .fiiel, 

4 ...- S. 

The capacity recovery of ..by-products may be calculated 
from the following factors, based on weight of coke produced. 


67For further information on the French .coke . industry, sec 
BEW Report No, ES-EA-90, 






-17- 


Benzene 0.36£ 

Toluene 0.24 

Naphthalene 0.43 

Phenol 0.06 

Cresols 1.0 

Anthracene 0.36 

Ammonia 1.4 ( 


(including 0.015 p 
recovery from ammonia 
liquor) 

s ammonium sulfate) 


Production of crude benzol in France was 31,400 tons . 
in 1930, 68,200 tons in 1932, 75,000 tons in 1937, and 60,000 
tons in 1941* Total output of crude and refined toluol was 
estimated to be 3,000 metric tons in 1937. 

: TABLE 5 


Sources and Composition of the Light Oil Fraction, 
1929, 1934, 1935, and 1936, 

r 

(Metric tons) 



1929 

1934 

1935 

1936 

Sources 

* 



- 

From gas ovens 

~15,300 

11,300 

14,400 

13,500 

From coke ovens 

63,900 

63,300 

60,200 

61,500 

Total 

79,200 

74,600 

74,600 

75,000 

Compos ition 

90$ benzol 

25,700 

n 

12,600 

14,500 

12,000 

Motor benzol 

32,200 

42,200 

40,500 

40,300 

Toluol 

2,500 

3,000 

2,500 

3,200 

Solvent naphtha 

6,300 

6,600 

7,000 

7,000 

Pure benzol, toluol, 6,650 

7,500 

7,900 

8,300 

xylol. 

Miscellaneous 

• 

5,350 

< 

2,700 

2,200 

3,700 

Total 

79,200 

74,600 

74,600 

75,000 

c 

• Consumption 

\ < 

of benzol in 

1936 by 

t 

* y 

industries 

was: 















Metric tons 


Motor fuel 

Chemical and pharmaceutical 

Lacquer 

Rubber 

Dyestuffs 

Gelatin 

Ink 


79,000 
15,500 
3,000 
1,500 
3,000 
2,000 


Total 


600 

104,600 


This large consumption required the importation of 
nearly 30,000 tons of benzol. 

The average annual prewar production of coal tar in 
France was 500,000 metric tons. From this were produced, 
in' addition to the light oil fractions, 3,000 tons of phenol, 
40,000 tons of naphthalene, 5,000 tons of anthracene, and 
6,500 tons of cresols. Prior distillation of coal tars 
for road use was mandatory in France, thus insuring against 
the wasting of the valuable by-product fractions. France 
has five large tar distilleries, and several small ones 
attached to coking plants. (The large distilleries are listed 
in Appendix I.) 

Phenol is necessary in the manufacture of picric acid, 
chief constituent of the melinite explosives used in large 
quantities by the French ir ForId War I, Because supplies 
of by-products phenol were inadequate, France had developed 
a large synthetic phenol industry by the end of the war, with 
a daily capacity of 270 tons. Capacity may since have 
decreased for TNT has somewhat replaced melinite in World War II. 
Synthetic phenol is produced from benzol by either of two 
processes. (For synthetic phenol plants aee Appendix I.) 


16, D yes 


The importance of dye manufacturing plants lies not 
only in the dye products themselves but also in the 
convertibility of such plants to the production of chemicals 
vital to the war effort. Although not directly convertible 
to actual munitions production, the dye plants can supply 
man 3 r chemicals essential to explosives production, as well as 
plasticizers and stabilizers for smokeless powder. 

Coal-tar intermediates for use in the manufacture of 
dyes, explosives, chemical warfare "gases", plastics, 
plasticizers, medicinals, rubber accelerators and antioxidants 
arc mostly* produced by integral parts of the dye industry. 





- 19 - 


Plants producing dyes and intermediates, or intermediates 
alone, are therefore of greater importance than those 
that produce only dyes. 

The necessity of having a self-sufficient domestic 
dye industry mas emphasized in France during the first 
World War when supplies of dyes arid intermediates were no- • 
longer available from Germany; Before then, French produc¬ 
tion of dyes /as much belo T consumption and most of the 
intermediates were imported from Germany and Switzerland, 

The need stimulated development of the French dye industry 
and, by 1939, production was 15,000 tons a year. Exports 
in 1937 were 3,891 metric tons, and imports, chiefly from 
Germany, were 1,265 tons, France shared with Switzerland 
fourth place in the list of world producers. 

Progress was realized in the quality of dyes as well 
as in quantity. Before 1914? France produced only cheap 
sulfur dyes but later undertook production of the finest 
alizarin and triphenylmethane dyes. Important new dyes were 
developed by the Ets, Kuhlmann.- 

The French dye makers have had the-support of the 

government through protective tariff measures and other 

restrictions. Production since late in 1941 has been under 

the control of the Francolor Company, formed by merger of 

the large Ffench dye producers with the I.C-. Farbenindustrie, 

hich holds a controlling interest in the combine, (Dye 

works and-their products are listed in Appendix J.) 

» • . 

17, E xplosives 6/ 

The following are the principal explosives used by the 

French for military operations: 

■ » " . 

Powder B - nitrocellulose gelatinized with alcohol and 
ether 

(Consumption of Powder B during v1 orld r ar I 
was ' 445, S45‘ tons.} 

n t T - nitrocellulose gelatinized ith acetone, 

” J - nitrocellulose plus' 17 percent of a mixture 
of potassium and ammonium dichromates, 

" M - hitrocellulose plus barium nitrate, saltpeter, 
gelose and camphor. 

n S - nitrocellulose plus barium nitrate, 

6/ELocqtions, capacities.' ' n nd production programs of the French 
explosives, plants, where known, are listed in BE'* Report • 
No, E0.83. Exploitation of the French explosives industry by 
the Germans is ’discussed in Part I of the present report.-- 


« 




- 20 - 


Melinite 

Gresylite 

Tolite 
Xylite 
Favier 'type 

Powder 0 

Dynamite 

Pcnthrite 

Hexanite 


- picric acid • 

- 60 percent trinitrocresol and 40 
percent picric acid 

- trinitrotoluene (TNT) 

- trinitroxylene 

- 07.4 percent ammonium, nitrate and 
12.6 percent dinitronaphthaienc. 

- chcddite, A mixture of chlorates, 
dinitrotolueno and castor oil. 


10. Pharma c cut1c aI s 


France has an important pharmaceutical industry which 
has grovn rapidly since the last war. Basic pharmaceutical 
products such as iodine, bromine, and synthetic organic pro¬ 
ducts arc produced by E.ts. Kuhlmann, Rhone-Poulenc, Pechincy, 
Coignct, Mattercs Colorantes dc St. Denis, Ets. Roques S.A., 
Ets, Tanco, and Ets. Billaut, 

The newer pharmaceutical compounds are produced by 
150 plants and 200 large pharmaceutical laboratories. In 
addition, 50-60 percent of the French druggists sell pharma¬ 
ceutical specialties under their own names and trade-marks, 
and as a result, about 60,000 different trademarks enjoy a 
limited local reputation,. In 1937, 2,569 manufacturers of 
pharmaceutical specialties were listed. However, the pharma¬ 
ceutical industry in France is concentrated principally in and 
near Paris and Lyon. 


France enjoyed a favorable export balance in pharma¬ 
ceuticals, products going chiefly to South America, Spain, 
Italy and the Far East, 

19. Iodi ne 

The importance of iodine in medicine, photography, and 
the dye industry is greater than would be 'indicated by the 
small amounts involved*. Critical shortages of the material 
have been reported in German Europe. 


The pre-war production of iodine in' France came entirely 
from seaweed and amounted to 100 -tons per year, -Rich is esti¬ 
mated to be about 10 percent of world production.' Production 
in 1929 was 120 tons but declined in later years" - because of 
the competition of iodine from Chile, .. 







- 21 - 


Thc center of the French iodine industry is Bretagne, 
with 14 plants employing 350 workers. The French plants 
producing iodine from Seaweed follow: 


Plant 


Location 


Stc. de L’lodc & ses Derives 
Ste. dc TraitcmCnt Chimique des 
Algucs 

Stc* Industricllc dc L’Alguo Marine 

Stc. Maritime dc P. Ch, de Plouescat 
Ste, Cooperative des Pharmaceins pour 
la Fabrication de L f iode s*p. 

Ste. Brctonnc des Produits Chimiques 
et Pharmaceutiqucs 
Ets, Giron & Congny 
Dc Lcclnsc Trcvocdal 


K&rity-Pcnmarch (Finistire) 

Pcnloc’h cn Tregunc 
(Finist&re) 

(Porspoder (Finistcre). 
(Plouguerneau (Finistcre) 
Plouescat (Finistcre) 


Plouarzcl (Finistcre) 

Quimpcr (Finis tcrc) 

Le Conauet (Finistcre) 
Audierne (Finistcre) 


20. Arsenic 7/ 

France is well supplied with arsenical ores and many 
of the deposits contain goldbcaring mispickel, which accounts 
for the larger production of arsenic crude ores, amounting to 
more than 150,000 tons in pre-war years. Production of 
arsonions oxide from arsenic ores in France, in metric tons, 
was: 


1933 

1934 

1935 

1936 

1937 

7,750 

9,300 

5,CC7 

6,632 

9,750 

6,501 


7/ For a list of arsenic deposits in France, ^.sec BP 1 " Report 
No. EO-58. . . 











<22 J 




TABLE 6 


Largest Producers of Arsenicals in Franco 


Company 

Location 

Product 

S oc, Anon„ dos-Mines & Usincs 

Combc-du-Saute (Audc) 

White arsenic 

do Salsignc 

Fab. do Produits Ghimiquo Billault 

Aubervilliers (Seine) 

* 

Sodium arsenal 

l . ■. .. : . V 

near Paris 

Arsenic acid 

Rhono-Poulcnc a/ 

St, Fons (Lyon) and 

Calcium arsons 

Roussillon (Lyon) 

Arsenobenzcne 



White arsenic 
Arsenic acid 

Alais Froges c-t Camarque 

St, Auban 

Arsenates 


a/ During 1914-18, the Rhono-Poulcnc plants were the largest producer 
of war gases. 


21, P lastic s 

Plastics arc non being used in nearly every branch of 
industry and the importance of the industry is growing steadily. 
Military uses include.airplane construction, gas masks, the 
automobile industry, photographic, films, optical instruments, 
etc. 

The basic ran and auxiliary materials for plastics 
manufacture are air, coal, petroleum, cellulose, limestone, 
salt, rater, and milk., Secondary materials, rhich are in reality 
derived from the basic ones, are ammonia, glycerol, ethylene, 
methanol, formaldehyde, ketone, benzene, phenol, napthalone, 
camphor, calcium carbide, acetic acid, caustic soda, hyd.roch3.oric 
acid, chlorine, and nitric acid. 

The French peacetime capacity for many of the rar materials, 
such as ammonia, caustic soda, nitric acid, phenol, formaldehyde, 
acetic acid, and casein, ras adequate for the requirements- of 
the plastics industry, . For other ran materials and particularly 
for those derived from petroleum, and to a lesser extent from 
coal, France was dependent upon imports. 

At the outbreak of war, France ranked fifth in the pro¬ 
duction of plastic materials; in 1935 the value of the plastics 
output was approximately $17,000,000. In that year, 4,000 
metric tons of celluloid and 12,500 metric tons of casein 










■*23' 


plastics .'ere produced, (Cellulose-acetate production is 
believed to be close to that of celluloid,) No figures are 
available on the production of phenol-formaldehyde, urea- 
formaldehyde, and benzylvinyl resins but it is believed 
comparatively small# 

In 1939, the plastics industry worked at full capacity 
and production was much higher than in 1935 * Activity in 
the production of the necessary raw materials had been stepped 
up to an unprecedented level, 

France occupied third place as an exporter of plastics, 
following Germany and the United States, Exports reached a 
peak value of $ 4 , 400,000 in 1930 • in' 1939 the - value was close 
to $3,000,000, 

Since most of the plastics plants were located in the 
origin 1 occupied zone, nothing is kno’m about the progress, 
made by the industry since the war started. But the Vichy 
government considers the plastics industry essential and is 
believed to-satisfy its requirements completely when granting 
allocations of ra^ materials for the chemical industries, 

{See appendix K* for French plants producing plastics .and 
allied products.) 


' 22, Synthetic Rubber 

No evidence has been found to indicate that any French 
plants are making a true synthetic rubber of the buna type, 

23 • G lue an d C-c l atin 

Even before the ’first Uorld War, France and Germany 
were the chief European producers' of glue and gelatin, French 
production of bone glue was between 7,000 ~ 8,000 metric tons 
and production of gelatin and glue-from hides was 4,500 metric 
tons. No figures are available on fish glue but export, and , 
import firures show that production exceeded domestic needs. 

Bono glue and gelatin are manufactured in many plants' 
scattered throughout France with some concentration of the 
industry around Paris and Lyon, The industry is dominated 
by Ets, Kuhlmann and its subsidiary, Coignet, Other producers 
arc\Roussclot and Jourdain. The four concerns formed a 
syndicate, Ste, pour 1*Utilization dos 0s, which controls the 
whole' market. Competition for the purchase of bones and for 
the npriccs of the finished products led to the establishment 
of an international organization Epidos, to which 70 percent 




“24- 


of the European producers belong* 

t- . ,; > : • * .. r 

24. Photog raphic Materials 

Although the photographic materials industry in France 
developed greatly in the years preceding the war, its capacity 
was never fully utilized, and it was necessary to import from.'. 
Germany one-third of the French consumption of these products. 

(The French plants manufacturing photographic chemicals 
are listed in Appendix 4.) 

25. Paints. Varnishes and Pigm ents 

The principal constituents of paints, varnishes and 
lacquers are certain vegetable oils, resins, solvents and 
pigments. The ran material situation in the French paint and 
varnish industry has become acute, as.many of the- essential 
basic ingredients.can no longer be imported. However-, the plants 
which produce cellulose lacquers and paints from domestic 
materials arc "orbing at near capacity. Thus Ste, Nitrclac 
greatly increased its output in 1941? and. supplied Renault'and 
Citroen with products for German orders. Ste. Vcrnol supplied 
35 percent of the output to Germany. 


In peacetime, paints and varnishes were made in a few 
large plants and many small ones, France made o5 percent of 
the pigment requirements of its paint industry and produced 
certain pigments in excess of its domestic needs. There arc about 
25 pigment-producing plants. (See Appendix M.) 


F hite le ad. The prewar production of white lead was 
10,000 metric tons, mostly concentrated in the North, 
consumption was below normal production. 


;uic 


Zinc oxide. The prewar production of zinc oxide was 
22,000 metric tons and this was more than the domestic require¬ 
ments. The pigment is obtained by the oxidation of zinc. The 
plants arc located in the north, La Somme, the suburbs of Paris, 
and Bouches-du-Rhone. 


Lead oxides. The average prewar production of minimum 
(red lead oxide) and litharge (yellow lead oxide) ,usc4 
approximately IS,000 metric tons of metallic lead a year, and 
was in excess of •domestic requirements. The surplus was- ex¬ 
ported to Roumcnia, Belgium, Great Britain, Holland, and Egypt. 
The minimum and litharge plants arc located in the North, 

Oise, Paris, Touraing, and Bouchcs-du-Rhcnc, and are. usually 
attached to white lead plants. 










-25- 


Lithoponc* Ihc prewar production of lithopone was ' 
30,000 metric tons. The plants are concentrated in the north, 
the Paris suburbs, and Bouches-du-Rhone, 

Ultramarine o The ra^ materials, except suiphur, are.all 
produced in France, The annual prewar production was 4>000 
tons, 'There are six ultramarine plants: tr?o in Lille, owned 
be Ets* F, RichtepI one at Fleurieu-sur-SaOne (Rhone) , owned 
by Usines Guimet % one at Choisy-le-Roi (Seine), owned by Ste, 
Parieienne des Couleurs D ? outre-Mer; one in Lyon, and.one in 
Feus e«, About 40 percent of the production v »as exported to 
Egj’pt, Belgium, Great Britain, and the French colonies. 

Lampblack , Production of lampblack was 10,000 tons a 
year. Consumption was less than production, and the surplus 
■.’as exported to Belgium, Switzerland, Great Britain, and 
Germany. ’There are ab ut ten plants, all located in the Bast, 

The prewar production was 35,000 tons a year. 


O cher , 



“26- 


III. CONCENTRATION OF FRENCH CHEMICAL INDUSTRIES BY GEOGRAPHIC 
AREA 


Contrary to the German practice of concentrating the bulk 
of production in a few large plants 5 French chemical production 
is' in general dispersed among numerous smaller plants. For 
example, the large sulfuric acid production capacity of 2,500,000 
*to 2 , 800,000 metric tons annually is distributed among more than 
a hundred plants, the largest of which represents only 6.7 per¬ 
cent of the total. The same is true of synthetic nitric acid, 
calcium carbide, synthetic phenol, etc. 

However, in spite of this preference for dispersal, certain 
areas in France have become important production centers, because 
of accessibility to markets, raw materials, rail or water trans¬ 
portation, hydroelectric power or other facilities, 

- 1. The North of Fr anc e _ . • .• 

Although Paris and its suburbs constitute the chief French 
production centers of manifold chemical products, the heavy 
industries concentrated in the north of France make this area 
of the greatest importance. The coal mines in the north have 
been of primary importance in determining the location of the 
coke, cement, and glass industries, and the consequent availa¬ 
bility of coke oven gases has made this area the center of 
synthetic ammonia and methanol production. The abundance of 
rivers and carnals, and the existence of convenient ports, such 
as Dunkerque and Calais, have also been of importance. 

The largest sulfuric acid and superphosphate plants in 
France are located in the north. This area produces 50 percent 
of all French coke, more than one-third of the French require¬ 
ments of sulfuric acid, and 50 percent of the total synthetic 
ammonia and nitric acid. 

Important plants in this area, substantially in the order 
of their importance, follow. 0 / 


87 The percentage figures given in parentheses for certain 

chemical products represent the percentage of total French 
capacity for the products named. Omitted from this list 
are works which are coke or calcium carbide plants only. 
These arc listed in BEW Report Nos. ES - EA-90 and E0-3 
respectively. 






-27' 


Chemical Industries in the North of France 


Location 


Co mpany 


Products 


Madeleine-lbs-Lille 
covers 70 acres along 
the canal de la Haute 
Deule N, of Lille 


Kuhlmann 


Drocourt (P.-de-C.) 


Cie. des Mines de Vicoigne 
Noeux et Drocourt 


Loos-lez-Lille 
15 miles from the 
Belgian border and 
5 miles west. S.7J, 
of the center of Lille. 
Covers 80 acres on the 
North side of the Canal 
de la. Haute Deule 


Ets. Kuhlmann 


Sulfuric acid (4.0$ of all 
types of sulfuric acid, 

6.7$ of contact acid), 
synthetic ammonia (18,010 
m.t. N/yr.) 54$ nitric acid 
(180 to ns/day), oalcium 
nitrate (15° tons/day), 
ammonium nitrate (30 tons/ 
day) 900 workers 


Synthetic'ammonia (5,900 
tons of N/yr.) synthetic 
methanol (400 ton/yr.), 
ammonium sulfate (6,000 
tons/yr.), coal tar dis¬ 
tillery, coking plant 
Sulfuric acid (4.89 of 




y 


( 4 . 8/5 

total, 5.8$ of'contact 
acid), fertilizers, chlo¬ 
rine, electrolytic caustic 
soda. Over 1000 workers 


Douvrin (P,-de-C.) 


Ste. Finalens 


Wattrelos 

in Roubaix, covers 
30 acres on the 
Roubaix canal 


Kuhlmann 


Synthetic.ammonia (19,800 
tons of N/yr.), ammonium 
sulfate (70,000 ton/yr.) 
sodium nitrate.(18,000 
tons/yr.), nitric acid 
(30,000 tons/yr.) sulfuric 
acid (2.4%) 2 arsenic tri¬ 
oxide 

Sulfuric acid (b.C$of total 
cap. 1.0$ of contact). 

Sodium bichromate (10,000 
ton/yr ; ) Oarbon disulfide. 


Chauny (Aisne) 


St. Gobain 


Sulfuric acid (4$ of'total 


ana 


6,7% 


of 


v/° 

contact), 


nitric acid, phosphoric 
acid, sodium: nitrate, 
works ’ *' 


lass 











Locati on ____ 

Wasquoha1near Lille 

, « • % 

Harnes (P.-de-C.) 

■ V 

Bully-Grenay (P. -de -C, ’ 

r \ € 

Waziors (Nord) 

Choques (P.-de-C.) 

4 r 

Fenchy-lez“Arras 
(P.-de-C.) 
Vondin-le-Vie il 
(P.-de-C.) 

Anzin (Nord) 

Frais-Marais (Nord) 
Auby (Nord) 

Biliy-Berclau (P.-dc-C, 

Condokerque-Branche 
(Nord) 

Calais (P.-de-C.) 
Henin-Liotard (P.-de-C. 


Company 
St. Gobain 


Courrieres-Kuhlmann . 


Cie. do Bethnne 


Gde. Paroisse 
Maries-Kuhlmann 


Sto. des Produits 
Chimiques et Engrais 
d’Auby 

Huiles, Goudrons et 
Derives 


Anzin-Kuhlmann 


Grande Paroisse 

tf tf 

) Ste. A, d’Explosifs 
et do Pr. Ch. 

Borax-Francais 

Fab. des Pr. do Chimie 
organique do Laire 

) Mines de Dourges 


Products 

Sulfuric acid (A.7%) capa¬ 
city, largest superphosphate 
plant in France, chlorine, 
caustic soda, aluminum 
sulfate 

Synthetic ammonia (18,810 
m.t. of N/yr.), synthetic 
gasoline (20,000 tons/yr.), 
synthetic methanol, sulfuric 
acid 

Synthetic ammonia (.2-5,740 
tons of N/yr,), synthetic 
methanol, nitric acid, 
ammonium sulfate, tar dis¬ 
tillery coking plant 
Synthetic ammonia (.21,870 
tons of N/yr.), fertilizers 
Synthetic ammonia • (15,000 
tons of N/yr,), ammonium 
sulfate, sulfuric acid 
(0. £%■), s ynthe tic e thano 1 
Nitric acid (10/6), sodium 
nitrate compound fertilizers 

Largest French tar distil¬ 
lery (capacity 125,000 tons 
p.a.) synthetic resins, 
synthetic methanol (5,000 
tons/yr.) 

Synthetic ammonia (5,940 
tons of N/yr.), ammonium 
sulfate, coking plant 
Nitric acid, calcium nitrate 
Sulfuric acid, iron sulfate, 
700 workers 

Nitroglycerine, fuses, syn¬ 
thetic nitric acid 
Borax and boric acid 

Phosgene, synthetic camphor, 
plastic materials, benzyl 
chloride 

Synthetic ammonia, coking 
plant 

Synthetic ammonia, fertilizer 


Lievin 


Grande Paroisse 
















2» P-aris and I ts 'Su bu rbs 

Paris and'its sub\irbs. constitute a qreat chemical production 
center because the Maritime Seine offers excellent facilities for 
bringing in raw materials.and shipping out finished products 5 
because the compact population of .the area- forms a concentrated 
market for-the finished products, and because Paris is ah inter- 


.re national market, * . . . 

• 'Important Chemical '"orks in the Paris~ Area •£/ 

Location 

* • *'* T ' ‘ 

Company 

Products 

St. Denis. . * 

-• Eatieres Colorantos et 

- - 

Dyes and intermediates 


Produits Chimiques de .- ■« 

( 30 /b), . sulfuric acid {2 %), 

* " - ! 

St. Denis 

diphenlamine,.synthetic 

T. * 

■ * • Vv‘ : 

phenol 

Villors-St. Paul 

Ets, Kuhlmann 

Indigo (l,00Q 't./yr.) 

... v. v- . I ' f 


ohthc.lic anhydride syn- 

. r;.t. .. 


th j ti 0 fprmaldo h'ydo, 

• * * 


urea-formaldehyde resins, 
synthetic acetic acid, 



dyes (30%) 

Vincennes 

Pathe-Kodak 

Photographic materials 
( 60 $) 

Boulogne 

Air Liquide 

Acetylene, liquid oxygen 

Aubervilliers 

St. Gobain 

Sulfuric acid (l#2^ of 
total, 2% of contact) 

Le Bouchet (near Corbell) 

Service des Poudres 

Smokeless powder (10 t 'day) 


picric acid (10 t/day), gun 
cotton (15 t/day), dini- 
tronaphthalene (5 t/day) 

Aubervilliers 

Ets. Kuhlmann* 

Sulfuric acid, fertilizers 

11 

Alais, Froges et Camarque 

Aluminum sulfate 

Levallois-Perret 

Ets. Kuhlmann 

Bichromates 

Villette 

Ste. du Gas de Paris 

Tar distillery 

St. Denis 

Fournie r-Fer: ’ ier 

Soap, glycerol, fatty acids 

Paris and Aubervilliers 

L.-T. Pivr 

Soap, glycerol, fatty acids 

St. Denis 

Ste. de Produits Chimiques 
Coignet 

Glue, gelatine 

St. Denis 

Ste. Nitrolac 

Enamels and lacquers 

St. Ouen 

Duco 

Cellulose lacquers and 



varnishes 


97 In addition to these plants, there are in the Paris area many smaller 

establishments which manufacture soap, paints and pharmaceutical products. 






















-30- 


3• Boucho -du -Rhone (in and near'Marseille) 

The geographical -position of Marseille and its port facili¬ 
ties made it the most important receiving center for raw materials 
imported from North Africa* Marseille and its suburbs, therefore, 
became the predominant center for oilseed crushing, and manufacture 
of vegetable oils, hard soaps, and superphosphates. The Existence 
near Marseille of the big powder plant at St. Chamas resulted in 
the construction nearby of throe sulfuric acid contact plants 
which supply sulfuric acid for the preparation of trinitrotoluene 
and other explosives. 

-V 

Existence of abundant salt marshes and bauxite deposits in 
the vicinity of Marseille led to the establishing of two alkali 
plants, a bromine plant, and two alumina plants in that region. 

Chemical works in the Marseille area, exclusive of the 
St. Chamas powder plants, employed dn peace time, about 18,000- 
20,000 workmen, of whom 10,000 were engaged in the soap, vegetable 
oil, candle, and perfume industries, 5,000-6,000 in heavy chemicals, 
2,500 in the distillation of coal, oil, and wood, and about 1,500 
in the animal fat, glue, and fertilizer industries. 



-31- 


Chemical Industries of Primary Importance in the Marseille Region 


location 

Company 

Products 

St. Chamas 

French Government 

Largest TNT plant in 

Bay de l'Estaque 

Kuhlmann 

France, tetryl, penthrite, 
sulphuric acid (5.3$ of 
contact, 1.2$ of total) 
Sulphuric acid (5.3$ of 

Port de Bouo 

* 

Kuhlmann 

contact, 3.2$ of total), 
refined sulphur, carbon 
disulphide, sodium, copper 
and magnesium sulphates, 
hydrochloric acid, chlo¬ 
rine, carbon tetrachloride, 
etc. 

Sulphuric acid 

Port de Bouc 

St, Gobain 

Sulphuric acid 

Salin de Giraud 

Pechiney 

Bromine, chlorine, mercury 

Gardanne 

Pechiney 

fulminate 

Alumina (35,000 t/yr.) 

St. Martin de Crau 

Ste„•d'Explosifs et 

Nitroglycerine (1100 t/yr.) 

Salin-de-Giraud 

Produits Chimiques 

Solvay 

sulphuric acid, glycerine 
Soda Ash 

La Barasse 

Ugine 

Alumina, cyanides 

Rassuen 

Produits Chimiques du Midi 

Chlorine, caustic soda, 

Septemes 

Lucies 

bleaching powder, super¬ 
phosphates 

Superphosphates 

Marseille 

Fournier-Ferrier 

One of the largest soap 

Marseille 

Huileries Ant, Roux 

plants 

Large soap plant 

Are n c-Marseille 

Magnan Freres 

Soaps, oils 

Marseille 

Lever 

Large soap plant 

Marseille 

Rocca, Tassy et de Roux 

Soap 

Chartreux-Marseille 

Ste, Marseillaise de 

Carbon disulfide 

Marseille 

Sulfure de Carbone 

L'Air Liquide 

Liquid oxygen 

Miramas 

Auby 

Synthetic nitric acid 











-32- 


4o Vicinity of Rouen 

The - facilities that the Maritime Seine offers for imports 
of coal from Germany and Great Britain, pyrites from Spain and 
Portugal, phosphates from North Africa, and petroleum from the 
United States have made the Rouen region the site of many 
chemical works. 

Chemical Plants of the Rouen Region in Order of Importance ■ 


L ocatio n 


Company 


Products 


Oissel 

Grande Quevilly 
Grande Quevilly 

Rouen 

Rouen-Petit Quevilly 
Rouen 

Rouen 

Rouen 

Rouen 

Rouen 


Kuhlmann 


Grande Paroisse 
St. Gobain 


Fours a Coke de Rouen 

Bozel Maletra 

Cie. Bordelaise de Prod. 

Chimiqaes 

Potasse et Fngrais 
Chimiques 

Bozel Maletra 
Ste. Ncrmande 
Ste. Herube1 


Dyes and dye intermediates 
(30^ of French production) 
synthetic phenol (8-10 % o 
all capacity) 

Synth, ammonia (3% of pro¬ 
duction) 

Sulphuric acid (3 % of total, 
5% of contact), superphos¬ 
phates, hitric acid 
Coking plant (0.77$ of 
total cap.) 

Sulphuric acid 

Sulphuric acid, superphos¬ 
phates . • 

Synth, nitric acid, ferti¬ 
lizers 

T7 ood distillation 
Lactic acid 
Carbon disulphide 


| -tj vo 














-33- 


5• R ight B ank of the R hone in and near Lyon 

The existence in the suburbs of Lyon of a heavy chemical 
industry can be ascribed to the existence nearby of the St, 

Bel pyrite mines, the largest in France, and also to the large 
agricultural hinterland. The artificial textile industry be¬ 
came established there probably because the textile industry 
was already there and skilled workmen were available. The 
large glass industry uses certain types of gravel of the Rhone 
river, A large by.-product coke industry developed south of 
Lyon between the Rhone and the Loire Rivers bear the St. Etienne 
coal basin. In addition, the compact population of Lyon and its 
suburbs offered a suitable market for these products and the 
geographical position of Lyon made her an international market, 
the French Leipzig, • 


Important establishments in the Rhone region are the 
St, Clair-du-Rhone plant, which covers 10,000 sq. meters and 
which manufactures tririi-troanisol explosives and many dye and 
explosives intermediates; the Rhone-Poulenc plants at St. Fons 
and Peage-derRoussillon, which produce synthetic phenol and 
liquid' chlorine, and which made vital contributions to the war 
effort during the first World War; the St, Gobain works at 
St. Gobain works at St. Fons, which make nitric acid, chlorine 
caustic soda, fertilizers, soda ash, sodium sulfate, and synthetic 
hydrochloric acid; and-the St, Gobain plant which makes contact 
.sulfuric acid, 

• • * * * 

* • . 

Although at present nothing is known as ''to the importance 
of the French government powder plant at St.- Fons, it was in 
1918 t one -of the'most important powder plants in France, It has 
its own sulfuric and nitric acid‘plants. 

* * 

Dther Important Plants in the Lyon Area 

Location _ _ Company __ Products __ 


St. Rambert-d l AIbon . Ste, Progil 

• * 

*•**«.. ‘ ‘ ; • , • - f 

La Mouche f St, Claire-du-Rhone • V 

(Kuhlmann subsidiary) 

St. Fons . ; Ste. pour l*Ind. Chim. a Bale 

Givors . Coignet *■ 

» - •* * * * 

.•St - Fons Gas-du-Lyon 

St. Fons Huile s, Goudrons ~et • Derive s 

Lyon L 1 Air Liquide 

Lyon Ste• Lumiere 


Sulfuric acid, zinc 
oxide and sulfate 
Dyes 

Dyes 

Glue and gelatin, 
phosphates 
Gas ovens, phenol, 
ammonium sulfate 
Coal tar distillery 
Liquid oxygen 
Photographic chemicals 















t 



6. Moselle, and Meurthe-et-Moselle 

Because of the availability of iron ores and salt, the 
Department of Moselle and Meurthe-et-Moselle are the dominating 
centers of the French iron and steel and alkali industries. The 
area accounts for over 80 percent of French soda ash and 20 per¬ 
cent of French coking capacity. 

Important Chemical Works in the Departments of .Moselle 

and Meurthe-et-Moselle 


Location ____ Company _ Products _ 

Dombasle (M.-et-M.) Solvay and Cie. Soda ash (432,000tons 

2§-miles S.E. of Nancy p.a. (50$)) 

near junction of Marne- 
Rhine canal and Meurthe 

river. . 

Pont-a-Mousson Haut-Fourneaux et Fonderies Coke (3.97$) 

(M.-et-M.), de Pont-a-Mousson, 

Carling (Moselle) Ste. Houillere de la Sarre Coke (3.18$), synthetic 

■et Moselle ’ ammonia 

Hagondage (Moselle') Union des ConsQmmateurs des Coke (3.14$) 

Produits Metallurgiques * * ' 

et Industrielies . . ' 

Homecourt (M.-et-M.) Forges et Acieries de la Coke (2*78$) 

. , Marine et d : Homecourt 

Mont-St-Martin (M.-et-M.) Ste, des Acieries de Longwy Coke. (1.94$) 

Micheville (M.-et-M.). *S.A 0 des Acieries de Coke (l,60$). 

Micheville A, 

Sarralbe (Moselle) Solvay & Cie. • .Soda ash (12.5$) 

Dieuze (Moselle) Ets, Kuhlmann Soda ash (2.1$), sul¬ 

furic acid (0.6$ total 

"... .. . acid and 1.0$ of contact), 

. ; . electrolytic caustic soda, 

• . chlorine, bleaching 

. powder,•Javel water, sodi¬ 

um sulfate, barium chloride 
zinc chloride, lithopone 

Thionville (Moselle) • Ste. Lorraine Miniere et^ Coke (1.16$) 

.. Me tall, de'Thionville 

Metz (Moselle) , l» !1 ’ « _ Coke (1.13$) 

Varangeville (M.-et-M.) St. Gobain • Soda ash (10.4$) * * 

Chateau-Saline (Moselle) Solvay & Cie. Soda ash (6.3$) ' 

Uckange (Moselle) Forges & Acieries du. Calcium carbide 

- - ... Nord et de Lorraine (12,500 tons/yr.) .?■ • 











-35- 


7. B ordeaux and Vicinit y 

The chemical industry in Bordeaux and vicinity-consists 
of heavy chemical, powder, and high explosives plants. 

Important "torks in Bordeaux and Vicinity 


Location _Company 


Products 


Bergerac 

Service des Poudres 

St', Me’dard 

Service de's Poudres 

Bassens 

Service des Poudres 

Bordeaux 

St. Gobain 

Bordeaux 

Kuhlmann 

Bordeaux 

Soc. Bordelaise des 
Produits Chiniques 


Nitrocellulose (17.5% of 
capacity), nitric acid 
Nitrocellulose (12.5% capac.), 
melinite, cordite, ether 
Melinite (15-18% capac.),'■ nitric 
acid 

Sulphuric acid (2.4% of contact, 
2% of total), sodium silico- 

fluoride, superphosphates .. 

Sulphuric acid (2.4% of contact, 
2% of total), fertilizers 

Sulphuric acid (1.6% of total), 
superphosphates .... 


8, Toulouse 

Important chemical works near Toulouse are: 


Location_Company 


Products 


Toulouse - Office National Indus- 

50 hectares triel de 1*Azote 

on Garonne river 
north of Toulouse 

Toulouse " Service des Poudres 
on the Garonne 
river opposite. 
the O.N.I.A, plant , 

Toulouse St. Gobain 


Largest synthetic ammonia 
plant in France (41,000 tons 
of N/yr..), ammonium sulfate 
(70,000 ton/yr.), nitric acid 
(60,000 ton/yr.), nitrates 
Nitrocellulose powders 
56,000 tons (28%), black 
powder, sulfuric acid (2.4% 
of total acid and 4.0% of 
contact), aloe hoi, ether 
Sulfuric acid, superphosphate 


















9 • Lo iro-Infer iour o 


Important Chemical Works in Loire Inferieure 

Location 

Company 

Products 

Paimboeuf 

Service des Poudres, 

Te trae thyl lead, chiorine, 


in conjunction with Ets. 

metallic sodium, sulfuric 


Kuhlmann in the old 

acid ....... f ’ ' 


Kuhlmann plant 

Coke ovens (1.38%) • 

Trignac 

Garnaud et Forges de 

■ •. • 

Trignac 

Sulfuric acid (3.0/6), super- 

Nantes 

Cie a Bordelaise de Pr, 


Chimiques 

phosphates (120,000 tons/yr.) 

Nantes 

St, Gobain 

Sulfuric acid (1% of total 

* . 


acid and 1.2% of contact) 

Nantes 

Nouvelles Savonneries 

Soaps, glycerol 

*; » 

Lever & LaVierge Reunies 



10. Charente and Chare n te- In ferieur e 
Important Chemical Works in Charente and Charente Inferieure 


Location _ Company 


Angouleme : • . Service dec Poudres 

4 -km vi/est of 
Angouleme 


La Rochelle-Pallice Ste. Alsacienne de 

Produits Cheimiques 

Forges d f Aunis Les Usines de Melle 


Tonnay-Charente 'Ets. Kuhlmann 
La Rochelle-Pallice Cie. du Phospho-Guano. 

La Rochelle-Pallice Ste. An c Chnrenta'ise 

de Mat. Plastiques 
Montendre Erinoid 


Products 


Nitrocellulose powders 42 ,,000 
tens (21%), nitroglycerine , 
mustard gas (2,000 tons/yr f ), 
ether (1,000 tons/yr„), 
nitric .acid.49^500 tons, sul¬ 
furic acid (1,2% of total 
acid and 2.0/6 of contact), 
black gun powder 
Synthetic camphor^. synthetic 
phenol ’ At 

Aboslute ethyl alcohol 
(40,000 L/day), propyl, iso¬ 
butyl & butyl alcohols, ace¬ 
tone, esters,' furfural 
Sulfuric- acid ,• superphos phate s 
Sulfuric acid (l%), superphos¬ 
phates, compound fertilizers 
•Casein -plastics 

Casein plastics 























-37- 


11. Vaucluse 

The Important Chemical Works in the Department of Vaucluse 


Location 

Company 

Products 

Sorgues. 

* ■ •■*»** 

Service des Poudres 

Melinite (35,000 tons/yr.), 

10 km? north of 


mustard gas (1,000 ton/yr.), 

Avignin 


diphenylamine, nitric acid 



(30,000 tons/yr.), modem 
installations for making 
penthrite 

Sorgues 

Cie. Generate des 
Produits Chimiques 
du Midi 

Sulfuric,acid, hydrochloric 
acid, sodium, copper & iron 
sulfates, superphosphates, 
compound fertilizers 

—. s 

12. Brittany (Finistere 

and Morbihan) 


Brittany is the center of the iodine industry. It also 
contains heavy chemical works and powder plants. 

Important Chemical Works in Brittany 


Location 


Company 


Products 


Moulin-Blanc Service des Poudres 

east of the 
village of Sta Marc, 

6 km south of 3rest 
oetween the railroad 
and the sea. 

Port-de-Bnis Service des Poudres 

Hennebont (Morbihan) Ets. Kuhlmann 

St. Marc Usines Dior 


Nitrocellulose (7%) 


Nitrocellulose (7$), propel 
lants, (6 tons/day), ether 
Sulfuric acid 
Superphosphate 


13. Alsace (Haut-Rhin and Bas-Rhin) 


Although there is no notable chemical concentration in these 
departments there are a few heavy chemical and dye plants. 

















-38- 


Important Chemical works in Alsace 


Location 


Thann 


Thann 


Mulhouse-Dornach 

Mulhouse 

Huninque (Ht,-Rhin) 


Compan y_______ __Product s ______ ____ 

a/ 

Fabrique de Produits" 7 Hydrochloric, nitric & contact 
Chimiques de Thann et sulfuric acid, sodium sulfate, 
Mulhouse ' - titanium oxide, pharmaceuticals, 

rare metals 

Potasse et Produits Chlorine, caustic soda, Javel 

Chimiques S,A, a/ water, hydrochloric and hydro- 

bromic acids, bromides, chlorin¬ 
ated derivatives of rubber 
naphthalene 

S.A. pour l’Ind. Chim. Dye intermediates (3000- 

• ■* * 5000-m’, : t./yr.) 

Ste. de. Pr. Ch. et Mat. Intermediates, azo dyes, textile 
Col. de Mulhouse products 

Ets. Durand et Huquenine 

(Ets. Kuhlmann) Silk, dyes., resorcin 


a/ These two actually constitute one plant. 


14* * Importan ce of the Internal Waterways' of France 


A study Of the geographical distribution of the French 
chemical industries shows that the majority of the important 
chemical plants, including some of the large explosives and 
powder plants, are located along navigable rivers and-canals. 

Because a great strain has been placed oh the railway . 
communications of the Axis by wartime needs and Allied inter¬ 
ference with operations, it seems reasonable to assume that 
the internal waterways are now of greater importance than in 
peacetime, and that the enemy will attempt to utilize fully 
existing facilities and possibly even expand them. 





















Larger Sulfuric Acid Plants In France 


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Total accounted for 63.44 74.1 1,536,000-1,756,000 

BOARD OF ECONOMIl; WARFARE 32-2568 

Project No. EO-32 























































-40- 


APPENDIX B Suporpho s phate P lants in Franca 


-Gaoacity par annum 

Location _ Name o f C ompany ____ _(Mo_t_ric_ tons)___ 


Dunkarque 

’"Jasquehal 

Lorient 

Ghauny 

Strassbourg 

Toulouse 

Rouen 

Nantes-Chantenay 
L’Oseraie 
Tours 
Le Mans 

Tonay-Charente 

Balaruc 

Bordeaux 

Port-de-Bouc 

Bayonne 

St. Fons 

Aubervilliers 

Montargis 


Saint-Gobain 


(i 

tt 

it 

it 

it 

it 

it 

it 

tt 

it 

it 

tt 

it 

it 

tt 

it 

it 

tt 


it 

ii 

it 

it 

ii 

ii 

it 

it 

it 

it 

it 

it 

tt 

tt 

it 

it 

it 

it 


Aubervilliers Kuhlmann 

Loos-les-Lille ” 

Tonay-Charente " 

Henneb'ont 

Port-de-Bouc ” 

Paimboouf '* 

Petit-Quevilly 11 

Nevers " 

Nantes-Chantenay " 

Amiens n 

Marseille-1’Bstague M 
Bordeaux " 


150,000 


120,000 


Total estimated 1940 
capacity of St. Gobain 
plants is over 1,200,000. 


Total estimated 1940 
capacity of the above- 
listed Kuhlmann plants 
500,000 - 600,000. 


Nantes 

Sete 

Rouen 

Bordeaux 


Cie. Bordelaise 

it it 

it it 

it it 


120,000 )Kuhlmann plants 

95,000 )originally 

85,000 )owned by 

70,000 )Cie, Bordelaise, 










- 41 - 


APPENDIX B - Continued 

Superpho sphate Plants in Fran ce 


Location 

Name of Company 

(Met 

Petit-Quevilly 

Bozel-Maletra 


Le s cure 

ti ti 


Cabn 

t( ti 


Vernon 

5? 11 


Granville 

Usines Dior 

80,000 

Brest 

ti it 


Landernay 

n ii 

60,000 

Rassuen 

P. Ch. du Midi 


Sorgues 

ti ii ii it 

i 


Septemes 

Duclos et Cie., 


Bassens 

Ets. Bertrand 


La Rochelle 

ii ii 


Auby-les-Douai 

Ste. de P. Ch, et Engrais 
d { Auby 

Fleury (P.-de-C.) 

ii i* ii it ii 

ti 

Artres (Nord) 

It U II ft It 

it 

Honfjleur 

Pbosphoguano 

• / 

La Palice 

it 



Capacity per- annum 














- 42 - 


APFENDIX C 


Hydrochloric Acid Plants in France 


Name of Company 

Location 

Capacity in 
metric tons 

Kuhlmann 

L'Estaque 

10,000 

Kuhlm.ann 

Loos (Nord) 


Kuhlmann 

Wattrelos (Nord) 


St. Gobain 

Wasquehal (Nord) 

22,000 

St. Gobain 

Chauny (Aisne) 

j . - 

St, Gobain 

L‘Oseraie 

■ 

Pechiney 

Salindres 


Boze1-Maletra 

Grand-Quevilly 


Pr. Gh. du Midi 

Soc. des Matieres 

Rassuen (B.-du-R.) 


Colorantes 

St. Denis (Seine) 


Soc. des Usines de Pr. 


. r 

Ch. D'Hautmont 

Hautmont (Nord) 


Fabrique de Pr. Ch 0 de 

• . . — /•. i - 

; • ‘ 

Thann et de Mulhause 

Thann (Ht,-Rhin) 


Pechiney 

St. Auban (Basses- 



Alpes) 

Synthetic HC1 

Ugine 

*. % .* 

Clavaux (isere) 

n m 


' I 






■ 











- 43 - 


APPENDIX D 


•• So dium S ulfate Plants i n France 


Name of Company 

Kuhlmann 


Kuhlmann 
Kuhlmann 
Saint Gobain 

Saint Gobain 
Saint Gobain 
Saint Gobain 
Pechiney 
Bozel-Mnletro 
Pr : Ch. du Midi 
Soc 0 des Matieres Colorantes 
Soc» des Usines de Pr. Gh, 

D ; Hautmont 

Fabrique de Pr, Ch 0 de Thann-et 
de Mulhouse 


Location _______________ 

L'Estaque Hargreaves 

process 12,000 
tons year 

Loos (Nord) 

Wattrelos (Nord) 

Wasquehal (Nord) 15,000 tons 

year 

Ghauny (Aisne) 

St. Fons (near Lyon) 

l'Oseraie 

Salindros 

Rouen 

Ras suen (B *-du-R 0 ) 

St. Denis 

Hautmont (Nord) Hargreaves 

process 

Thann (Ht.-Rhin) 


The north and northwest districts produce 60 percent, and the 
southwest and central, 40 percent of the total production. 



















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APPENDIX F 


-46- 


S od-i Ash Pl ants _in_ F ranc e 


Annual Percent- 


Name of Company 

Location Capacity 

(Metric tons) 

age of 

Total 

Solvay & Cie c 

Dombasle - 9§- miles 

432,000 

50.0 


S,E- of Nancy, approxi- 

• 



mately where the Marne- 




Rhine canal enters the 




Meurthe River. 



Solvay & Cie. 

Saaralbe 

100,000 

12.5 

Saint-Gobain 

Varangeville 

90,000 

10.4 

Marcheville-Daguin & Co, La Madeleine 

72,000 

8.3 

Solvay & Cie, 

Salin-de-Giraud-55 km. 

72,000 

8,3 


west of Marseille 



Solvay & Cie, 

Chateau-Salins 

54,000 

6.3 

Kuhlmann 

Dieuze 

18,000 

2.1 

Etudes et Produits 

Mougerre (Basses Pyre- 

18,000 

2.1 

Chimiques 

nees) 6 ’on. from Bayonne 



Saint Gobain 

Chaunv (Aisne) 

n.a. 

t * 

Total production capacity accounted for 

864,000 

100.0 

Total■capacity of Solvay-owned plants 

666,000 

(73.9*) 












- 47 - 


APPENDIX G 


Electrochemical Plants 


in France 



Compa ny 


Locat ion 


Peace time production 


Alais 


, Froges et Camarque 
(formerly Pe chiney) 


b/ 


u 


it 


it 


it 


it 


ti 


ti 


it ti 


Calypso (Savoie) 

Valley of the Arc 
La Praz (Savoie) 

Valley of the Arc 
4 miles west of tlodane 
Alikas ! v Ariege) 

Chedde (Haute-Savoie) 
Valley of the Arve 
12 miles below Chamonix 
St. Jean de Faurienne 


Salinires (near Ales) 


Sabart (Ariege) 


Riouperoux (isere) 

Saint Auban (Basses -Alpes) 


u it ii 

it it it ' 

it it it 

it u ii 

Ste. d 1 Electrochimie et 
d’Electrometallurgie 
et des - Acieries 

Electriqujs D'Usine— 

ii it 


it 


it 


Corbiere (Savoie) 
Argentiere (Hautes-Alpes) 
Beyrede (Landes) 

Venthon (Savoie) 

■Jarrie (isere) 


St, Jeoire-en-Faucigny 
(Hte,-Savoie) 

Clavaux (Isere) 


Aluminum 

Chlorates, aluminum 


Ferrosilicon 
Chlorates (production 
]0,000 m.t./yr.), 
aluminum 

Aluminum and alloys, 
chlorates 

Aluminum, bervllium, 
chlorine, caustic 
soda, magnesium 
Aluminum (5,000 m.t./yr. 
cap.), chlorates 
(4,000 m.t./yr. cap.) 
Aluminum ' 

Chlorine and derivatives, 
caustic soda, ammonia 
(4,400 m.t./yr. N. 
fixation cap.) only 
urea plant in Franc©, 
aluminum, magne sium, 
alumina (35,000 t/yr.) 
Chlorates, aluminum 
Chlorates 
Aluminum 
Carborundum 

Chlorine and derivatives, 
caustic soda, magnesium, 
(5,000 m.t./yr. cap.) 

Ferroalloys 

Chlorine, metallic, 
sodium, (cap. 2,500 
m.t./yr.), magnesium, 
aluminum, electron 
alloys, oxygen, metal¬ 
lic calcium 
/ 


a/ Some of these plants also make calcium carbide, which is covered in BEW - 
E0-3, and some make other than electrochemical products, not here included. 

b/ Produces 60 percent of the total output. 

c/ Produces 30 percent of the total output. 





















APPENDIX G 


-48- 


Electrochemical Plants in Franco. Continued 


Company ___ Location __ Peacetime production 


Ste. d’Electrocshimie et 
d’Electrometallurgie 
et des Acieries . 

Electriques D’Usine^/ 

n tt 

51 n 

rt .. if 

II 15 

Ste, Industrielie et 
Produits Electrochimiques 
Bozel-Maletra 

it it ti 

it u u 


ff ff ii 

Ste, de Forces Motrices de 
la Garonne 

Ste#. Progil (Ets 0 Kuhlmann) 

Ste, D'Electrochimie de 
Brignoud (Ets, Kuhlmann) 
Ets, Kuhlmann 

it ft 

ii if 

Cie, leneralo des Produits 
Chimiques du Midi 

Aluminum du Sud-Ouest 

n tt ii 

Ets, Chiris et Jeancard 


Uglne (Savoie) 
Plombieres-St. Marcel 
(Savoie) 

Notre-Dame-de-Brianccn 
(Savoie) 

Lannemezan (Landes) 

St. Michel-de-Maurienne 
(Savoie) 

Villard-du-Planay 
(Savoie) near Bozel 
Lamotte-Breuil (Oise) 

14 km, from Compiegne 
Plan-du-Var (Alpes 
Maritimes) 25 km. from 
Nice 

Moutiers (Savoie) 
ne~r Epicrre 
I hn c i oux (H t e, - Gar onno) 

Port-de-Claix (isere) 

Brignoud (isere) 

Paimboeuf (Loire-Inf,) 

L’Estaque (3 0 -du-R r ) 
near Marseille on Bay 
of L’Estaque 
Loos-lez-Lille (Nord) 

Rassuen (B.-du-R.) 

Beyede (Htes,.-Pyrenees) 
Sarrancolin ,f 11 
Baus-Roux (Alpes- 
Maritimes 


Ferroalloys 

Chlorine and derivatives ? 

caustic soda 
Aluminum . 

% 

Ma pne s ium, chi o r ine 
Chlorates, al'aminum 

Ferromanganese, ferro- 
silicon, calcium silicide 
Chlorine and derivatives, 
caustic soda, hydrogen 
Ferromanganese, chlorine, 
caustic soda 

Quick-setting fused cement 
contg, 40$ alumina 
Chlorine, caustic soda 

Chlorine and derivatives, 
caustic soda 
Chlorine, caustic soda 

Chlorine, metallic sodium, 
tetraethyl lead 
Chlorine, caustic soda 

Chlorine, caustic soda 

Chlorine and derivatives, 
caustic soda 

Corundum, ferrosilicon 

ii if 

Chlorine, (7t/day) 
caustic soda 








- 49 - 


APPENDIX G 


E lectrochemical Pla nts in Fran ce, Continued 


Company 


Locatio n 


Peacetime producti on 


Cie. Univ, d*Acetylene 


Coignet 

Ste, des Soudieres Elec¬ 
tro lytiques 

Ste. L'Achroanine 

Ste. de Phosphates Tunisions 

Ste. de Phosphates Tunisiens 


St* Gobain 
Rhone-Poulenc 

tt i; 

Forces Motrices de la 
Garonne et du Tarn 
Potasse and Produits 
Chimiques S, A. 

Alais, Froges and Camarque 


Clavaux (isere) 


Epierre (Savoie) 

Pierre Eybesse (isere) 

'Jarrie (isere) 

Soulom (lies • -Pyrenees) 
Pierrefitto (Htes.- 
Pyrenees) 

St. Fons (Rhone) 

St. Fons (Rhone) 

Roussillon (Rhone) 
Boussens (Hte.-Garonne) 


Chlorine, caustic soda, 
hydrogen, oxygen, 
magnesium 

Phosphorus (2,500 t/yr. 
cap.) 

Chlorine and derivatives, 
caustic soda, metallic 
sodium 

Corundum 

Hydrogen, oxygon 

Chlorine, caustic soda 

ii it n 

ii ii. ;i 

ii ii ii 

ii ii ii 


Thann (Hte*-Alsace) " 

Froges (Isere) 'Aluminum foil 



























-50- 


APPENDIX H 

Wood D istillation Plan ts in France 


Name of Plant or Company 

Location Remarks 



S.A, de Produits Chimiques de 
Clamecy 

Ste, de Produits pyroligneux de 
Bologne 

Clamecy (Nievre) (80,000 tons 

(wood per year 

. Bologne (Hte.-Marne) 

t 'a 

Bordet Freres, Cannes, Duchemin 
et Cie. 

Froidvent (Cote-d'Or) 

Carbonization & Charbons Actifs 

Villers-Cotterets (Aisne) 

Sts. de Produits Chimiques de 
Moulin-Rouge 

Moul in-Rouge 

Bozel Maletra 

Lescure (near Rouen) large plant 

Ste. Progil 

Ris-Orangis (S.-et-O.) 

Lambotte freres 

(1) Premery (Nievre) 

(2) Demervis 11 


Henri Rizier, Cie. d’Electricite Nuits-sous-Ravieres (Yonne) 


Industrielie 


Fabrique du Produits Chimiques 
Billault 

Ivry-Port (Seine) 

Ste. Xestner et Cie. 

Be lie vue (Ht. -Rhin) 

Ste. des Produits Chimiques de 
Bois 

Chaumont (Marne) large plant 

recently 

constructed 

0 










-51- 


APPENDIX I 

1 • Large Tar D istilleries in France 


Company 


Huiles, Goudrons et Derives 

it it ii ti 

if ff if if 

Ste. du Gas de Paris 
Ste, d’Eclairage, Chauffage 
et Force Motrice 


Location 


Distilling capacity 
(Metric tons) 


Vondin-le-Vieil (P. de C,) 
Jouy-aux-Arches (Moselle) 
St. Fons (Rhone) 

• .Villette (near Paris) 

Gennevilliers (near Paris) 


( 200,000 


100,000 


2• S ynthet ic Pheno l Pl ants in France 


Company 


Location 


Daily capacity 
_ (Me tric to ns) 


Ets. Kuhlmann Oissel (Seine-Inf•) 30 

Alais, Froges et Camarque .Salin du Giraud (B.-du-Rh.) 20 

” n " Salindres (Gard) 

Rhone-Poulenc ' St, Fons (Rhone) 60 

M n Roussillon n 50 

Ste. des Matieres Colorantes St. Denis (Seine) 

de St, Denis 

Ste, Alsacienno do Produits La Rochelle-Pallico 10 

Chimiques (Charente-Inf,) 







































-52- 


APPENDIX J 


Dye Works i n Fr ance 


Name of Company 


Location 


..Prod ucts , - capacit y 


Ets, Kuhlmann 


Villcrs-Saint Paul Indigo plant (7,000 m.t./yr., 

(near Creil) (1939), phthalic anhydride 

vat dyes.. 


Ets. Kuhlmann 


S.A. Matieres Color- 
antes Et Produits 
Chimiques de ^aint- 
Denis 


Ste. Chimiquc de la 
Gde. Par ois se 


Oissel (Seine-Inf.) Azo dyes 

Intermediates (150) 


Saint Denis Dyes (basic-, acid-, direct-, 

vat-, tjooI— , fur-, naphthazol 
and other dyes), more than 
3,000 tons in 1926, 30p of 
French consumption. Organic 
solvents, nitrobenzene, 
aniline and its derivatives, 
derivatives of benzene 
naphthalene, and anthracene, 
B-naphthol, diphenylamine p 
During Nor Id " r ar I St, Denis 
produced toxic and tear gases 
and camouflage materials 


Montereau (Seinc-et- Sulfur dyes end intermediate 
Marne) products (dinitrophenol and 

dinitr ochlorbenzol) 


Cio Franchise des Pro- St. Clair-du-Rhone 
duits Chimiques et 
Matieres Colorantes 

Societe Pour 1*Industrie Saint Pons (Lyon) 
Chimique ou Bale 


50 intermediates 
Dyes 

Dyes 


S. A. Pour L f Industrie Mulhouse-Dornach 

Chimique (changed in Haut-Rhin 

1941 to Chemische 
r: erke Dornach G.m.b.H.) 


Intermediate products for 
dyes (dinitrotoluene 
p-nitrochlorbonzol, 
toluidinc, p-nitroaniline 
and orthoanisidinc) 


Ets, Durand et Huguerin Huninque (Haut-Rhin) 


Alizarin dyes 
Xanthone dyes 
Methyl violet 


Cie, Franca is e de Pro- , La Louche (Lyon) Intermediates and dyes 

duits Chimiques et 
Matieres Colorantes 












- 53 - 


APPENDIX J 


D ye W ork s in France (C on t d.) 


Name of company __ _ _ Location 

i 

Socicto Alsacienne de Mulhouse (iL 

Produits Chimiques 


__ _ __ _ _ Produc ts - ca pa city _ 

t-Rhin) Dyes, intermediates 

(nitr.obcnzol. met zxylone , 
paraxylidinc) aniline, 

Pi dine dyes, pharmaceutical 
products 


















/ 




APPENDIX K 

\ 


Plastic Plants in France 


Name of Company Loc ation _ ■__ _ Produ c ts 


Arnbrolith 

* • a »’. *'* J 

Celtex 

* ... 

Cie du Celluloid-Petticollin- 
Oyonnithe 
Erinoid 

i* 

Ets. A. Fouillant Fils 
Ets. Kuhlmann 


Fabrique do Fr. de Chimic 
Org, de Lairb 

tr it tt tt tt 

Huiles, Goudrous ct Derives 

tt tt tt tt 

La Bahelite 

tt tt 

Manufa c turc d 1 Is olants ct 
Objets Moulcs 

Rcsines ct Vcrnis Artificicls 

Stc,. Nobel Francaise 

Ste. An. Charentaise de Mat.. 
Plastiquos 

Stc. Gen. dc Constructions 
Elcctriqu.es ct Mcchaniqucs 
Als-Thons 
Rhone Poulenc 

tt tt 

tt tt 

it tt 

tt tt 

tt it 


Aubervilliers (Seine) 

Grivats-Cussets 
(Allier) 

Monville (Seine-Inf.) 

Mentendre (Charente- 
Inf.) 

Ezy (Euro) 

• Fillers-St. Paul 
((Oise) 

Oissel (Seine-Inf.) 

Is sy-les-Moulineaux 
(Seine) 

Calais (F.-d-Calais) 

Vcn din- 1c - Vi e il 
(P.-de-C.) 

J ouy-aux-Arches 
(Moselle) 

Bozons (Scinc-et- 
Oisc) 

Brcbicrcs (P.-dc-C.) 

Vi try-sur-Seine 


Clamccy (Nievre) 

Riviere St. Sanvcr.r 
(Calvados) 

La Rochelle (Charcntc 
Inf.) 

Colombcs (Seine) 


St. Fens (Rhone) 

Roussillon (Isere) 
Ivry-sur-Seine 
Vi tr y-s ur -S c ine 
Montrcuil-s ous-Bois 
Thiais (Seine) 


Phenol-formaldehyde 
and urea plastics 

Cellulose acetate, 
casein 

Celluloid, casein 

Casein 

« 

Casein, plastics 

Urea-formaldehyde 

Phenol res ins 

Synthetic camphor 

Phenol and urea 
resins 

Phenol and cumaron- 
plastics 

Phenol plastics 

Molding powders, 
varnishes 

Phenol-f ormaldehyde 
plastics 

Urea, phenol and 
cellulose acetate 
plastics 

Phenol-f ormaldehyde 
plastics 

Celluloid, nitro¬ 
cellulose 
- Casein plastics 

Casein plastics 

Cellulose acetate 
plastics 

tt tt 

tt tt 

IT It 

tt tt 

tt tt 















V 


55- 


; 


APPENDIX L French Plants Making- Photographic Materials 


Company ____ ___ Location ____Pr oduct 

Vincennes (nec.r Paris) Film, (Cap. 

100,000,000 meters/ 


Kodak-Pathe 


Stc, Lumicre 

n ti 

ti ii 

Guillominot, 

Doesflug et Cic, 
Grieshaber Frercs 

Risson et Cic, 
Banchet et Cic, 

Rh one-P oulen c 

it ii 

Ets. Marret, Bonnin 
LebeJL et -Guien 
Ets* Camille Arnoul 

Mines de Bouxwilier 


Lyon (Rhone) 

Feyzin (Isere) 

J onviJle-le-Pout 
(Seine) 

Chantilly (Oise) 

St. I.Iaur-dcs-Fosses 
(Seine) 

Flavice 
. ,Ruc il 
St 

(Rhone) 

Roussillon 11 n 
.•\Rhone) 

Noisy-le-3ec (Seine) 

St s Ouen-1’Aumone 
(Seine) 

Bonxwillcr (Bas Rhin) 


Dry -plates, fiIras 

phot ographic papers 

ii it ii 

ii ii ii 

Films 

Photographic paper • 


M 11 

Silver Salts 

Blue printing materials 

ii ii ii 


(Ardechc) Dry plates,: films 

(Scine-et-Oiso) »■ Dry plates * 

Fons near Lyon Photographic chemicals 


• ii 





•i 


























N 



APPENDIX M Paint Pl ants in F ranc e 

Company ____ Location Products 


Cie. Parisienne dcs Noirs 
de Fumec 

Fauchon-Villcpleo 
Gauchery-Tagcronski 
.Milori (Ste*. de Coulcurs) 

Ste. Coulcurs-Paris 

Ste, dcs Noirs d T Auvergne 

Ets, A. Villcmot 

Ste. des Coulour Zinciques 

it it it 

It I! It 

Stc. des Ocrcs de France 
Ste, Nitrolr.c 

Eschmann J, & Cie, (La Nationals) 


it it ii ir it it 

Expcrt-Bczancon (Ets.) 

Ste. Francaise de l f Qxyde 
de Zinc 

it ii it ii it 

Pr. Ch. de France et Blancs de 
Coniines 
Ets, Kuhlmann 

Stc, dcs Mines & Fonderic de 
Zinc de la Viollc-Montagne 
Stc. dcs Pr, Ch, de 
diEstree-Blanche 
Stc. de l*Escalotte 
Ste. Vernol 

Ste, Nitrolac 


La Courneuve (Seine) 

Ivry (Seine) 

Auxcrre (Yonnc) 

Montreuil-sous-Bois 
(Seine) 

Lc Pro-St. Gcrvais 
(Seine) 

La Faye near Mcnat 
(Puy-de-Dome) 
Aubcrvilliers (Seine) 
Prix-lcs -Mezicres 
(Azdenne) 

B cr.cha in (N ord) 

Aubcrvilliers (Seine) 
Preslcs (S.-ct-Oisc) 
Auxcrre Yonne 
St-Denis (Seine) 

Mar s el lc- -lc - Cane t 


Creteil (Seine) 
Aubcrvilliers (Seine) 

Nanterre (Seine) 

Expert-St•Andie ' Nord) 

St. Denis (Seine) 

Dic-uzc (Near Nancy) 
Lcvallois-Pcrrct 
(near Paris) 

Estree-Blanche 
(P.-de-C.) 

Marseille (B,-du-R) 
Argenteuil (Seine-et- 
Oise) 

St, Denis (Seine) 


Mineral pigments 

it it 

it ii 

it it 

ti it 

it ti 

White lead, ochcrs 

ti it 

Lithopones, zinc 
oxide 

ti ii 

ii it 

Enamels, lacquers 

(Varnishes, submarinc 
paints, insulating 
prints, cellulose 

lacquers) 

ii * ti 

Litharge, minium,zinc 
oxide 

Zinc cxide 

Litharge, minium, zinc 
oxide 

Lithopone 

Lithopone 

Zinc oxide 

Lithopone 

Minium 

Cellulose lacquers 
and varnishes 

Enamels 
















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